Le Sud Élevé
The first time I made this, I wasn’t trying to impress anyone.
I was just trying to make something that tasted like I meant it.
The biscuit is half memory, half offering.
There’s an earthiness in the sweet potato—not sharp like beet,
but quiet, like the smell of rain just under the skin of the world.
It holds everything else.
You might not name it, but you’d miss it if it were gone.
The chicken? A reply to all the dry ones I endured, polite and patient.
The jam came later—sweet, sharp, and herbal,
like something you whisper when no one’s earned your truth.
The yolk breaks like a promise, and that’s fine.
It’s still warm. Still worth holding.
It doesn’t need a name.
Names are for menus and memory.
This is just something warm,
crisp at the edges,
soft where it counts,
and exactly what I needed—
nothing more.
Le Sud Élevé
Sweet Potato Biscuit Sandwich with Fried Chicken, Sunny Egg, and Apricot–Tarragon Jam
Sweet Potato Biscuits
Yield: 8 biscuits
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp brown sugar (optional, balances the potato)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 cup mashed roasted sweet potato (cooled)
1/2 cup cold buttermilk, more if needed
Brown butter, for brushing
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Method:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
Cut in cold butter until mixture forms pea-sized pieces.
Fold in mashed sweet potato until loosely incorporated.
Add buttermilk gradually to bring dough together—do not overmix.
Turn dough out, pat to 1-inch thickness, fold once or twice for layers.
Cut into rounds and chill for 10–15 minutes.
Bake at 425°F for 15–18 minutes, until golden.
Brush immediately with brown butter and sprinkle with flaky salt.
Fried Chicken Thigh
Yield: 1 thigh per sandwich
Brine (overnight):
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp hot sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Dredge:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp crushed coriander seed
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
Hot Honey Butter (for brushing):
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp honey
Pinch chili flake or cayenne
Method:
Brine chicken thighs overnight in buttermilk mixture.
Remove from brine, dredge in seasoned flour. Let sit for 10–15 minutes.
Fry at 350°F until internal temp reaches 165°F and the coating is crisp.
Brush hot chicken with hot honey butter before serving.
Sunny Side Egg
Yield: 1 per sandwich
Ingredients:
1 fresh egg
Butter, for frying
Espelette pepper
Kosher salt
Method:
Crack egg into medium-hot pan with butter.
Baste gently to cook whites through, leaving yolk runny.
Season lightly with salt and a dusting of Espelette just before plating.
Apricot–Tarragon Jam
Yield: ~2 cups
Ingredients:
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 cup water or white wine
2 tbsp shallots, minced
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp honey (adjust depending on apricot sweetness)
1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp finely minced preserved lemon
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp olive oil or butter
Method:
Simmer apricots in water or wine until softened and liquid is mostly absorbed (10–15 minutes).
In a separate saucepan, sauté shallots in olive oil or butter until translucent.
Add apricots, mustards, vinegar, honey, tarragon, preserved lemon, salt, and pepper.
Simmer until jammy and thickened, about 8–10 minutes.
Optional: pulse briefly in the food processor for a smoother texture. Chill and hold.
Garnishes & Final Build
Garnishes:
Crispy shallot threads (fried until golden, salted)
Micro tarragon or bronze fennel
Assembly:
Warm biscuit and slice in half.
Swipe apricot–tarragon jam on bottom half.
Place hot fried chicken thigh on top.
Add a second dot of jam.
Top with sunny side egg, yolk centered.
Finish with crispy shallots and micro tarragon.
Serve closed with a pick, or open-faced as a composed plate.
